Improvement in plug-tobacco-making machines



3Sheets-Sheet1. J. L. JONES. Plug-Tobacco Making Machines.

No.196,460. Patented Oct. 23, I877;

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J. L.' JONES. Plug-Tobacco Making Maohinesl No. I96, 460. Patented Oct. 23,1877.

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. J. L. JONES. Plug-Tobacco Making Machines.

Patented Oct. 23, 1877.

Itoevrifon (757ml; (761w s.

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. J ONES, OF QREENSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

lM PROVEMENT lN PLUG-TOBACCO- MAKING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,460, dated October 23, 1877; application filed September 20, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, JOHN L. JONES, of Greensborough, in the county of Guilford and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machine for Manufacturing Plug-Tobacco, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to an improved ma chine for manufacturing plug-tobacco, in which the plugs are pressed, formed, and cut'in a movable mold provided with a follower, and adapted to be compressed between a stationary. bed and a movable plimger or follower operated by suitable mechanism, to be forced toward the stationary bed.

Myinvention consists, first, in the combination, with the stationary bed, of a longitudinal groove formed in the face thereof, and a series of removable cutters, and a gage for holding them in place, said cutters being adapted to be adjusted at various intervals in said groove, in order to vary the lengths of the plugs to be cut, as more fully hereinafter set forth; second, in the combination, with the stationary bed and its cutting-knives, of series of interchangeable knifegages, slotted at intervals corresponding with the intervals at which the knives are arranged, and varying in thickness according to the thickness of the plug to be cut, whereby the knives can be gaged to cut plugs of diflerent thickness and length, as more fully hereinafter specified; third, in a trough, mold, or former, closed at one end and open at the other, with its movable follower, whereby the nip or waste cut from the end of the bar may be removed in condition to form the end of the next succeeding bar, as more fully hereinafter set forth; fourth, in the combination, with the movable plunger or follower for compressing the mold and its operating mechanism, of certain mechanism automatically operated -to arrest the travel of the follower or plunger, as more fully hereinafter set forth; fifth, in the combination, with the mechanism which operates the movable plunger or follower for compressing the troughs, molds, or formers, of certain mechanism for elevating the troughs, molds, or formers after the final pressing and cutting of the plugs, for the removal of said troughs, molds, or formers from the apparatus, as more fully here screw, and the loose pulleys and clutch mounted thereon; Fig. 3', a cross-section through the clutch and leading-screw; Fig. 4, a view representing partly a side elevation and partly a vertical section of the'machine; Fig. 5, a detached view of the devices for elevating the troughs. Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the slide R, showing the devices by which it is thrown into operation. Fig. 7 is a detached view, showing the mechanism for automatically arresting the motion of the leadin g-screw Fig. 8, a detached sectional view of the stationary bed, plunger, and troughs, molds, or

formers; Fig. 9, a detached view of the stationary bed, showing the groove therein for the adjustable knives; Fig. 10, a detached perspective view of the trough, mold, or former and its follower; and Fig. 11, a detached view, showing a modified form of the toggle-lever applicable to a hand-machine.

The letter A represents the frame or table of the machine, which supports the various working parts of the same; and B, the stationary bed, against which the troughs, molds, or formers are pressed. Said bed extends transversely across the top of the table or frame A, at one side thereof, and is adjustably secured thereto by means of screw-bolts and nuts 0, in such manner as to permit of alimited movement with respect to the movable plimger or follower, in order that it may be adjusted to regulate the power brought to bear upon the troughs, molds, or formers. Said bed B is provided with a series of cutters or knives, D, which are secured at intervals corresponding to the lengths into which the plugs are to be cut.

These knives or cutters may be secured to the bed in any desired manner, but are preferably made removable and adjustable, so that the lengths of the plugs may be varied, for

which purpose the. face of the bed is coil- 7 7 'structeril with a longitudinal groove, .1 T- V shaped in orossseetion, and theeutters are provided with shanks d, slotted, as shown at bed.

In order to provide for cutting plugs of various thicknesses,a series of interchangeable knife-gages, E, are employed. Said gages varyin thickness, and are. slotted at intervals to. correspond :with the: intervals at which they knives are set. By changing said gages, as

' 7 required, the distance to which the knives pro- ;iect therefrom can be varied at will, so 1 as to enter troughs, molds, or iormersto. a greater @or less depth, according to. the thickness of the plug to be'eut through. i a 1 V a a V The letter F represents a trough, former, or

' mold, provided with ametallie bottom having a series of slots, G, at intervals corresponding to the intervals of the knives or cutters. of the stationary bed Said trough, mold, or fol-V lower is constructed with an open side,and may beformed; open atboth ends, but is preferably made closed atone end and open at.

the other, in order that the hip or waste of r the plug maybe removed in condition to be packed in the. closed ends of the next succeed:

ing trough, mold, or former to be filled, as

more fully hereinafter set forth.

The letter If represents a movablefollower:

of such size and shape as to fit exactly in the chamber in said trough, mold, or formenior the purpose of compressing and: packing the tobacco therein.

The letter I represents two. longitudinal flanges, one of which is formed near each edge of the bottom of the trough, mold, or former, said flanges extending upward and forming a portion of the interior walls of said trough, mold, or former, for the purpose of re-enforcing said walls at thepoint where the greatest pressure is exerted, so as to prevent the mold from spreading or breaking down under great pressure.

' The letter K represents-are-enforce, secured to the open endof the trough, mold, or former, and forming av portion of the bottom and sides of the same, to strengthen said trough, mold, or former at said open end.

In order to adapt the trough, mold, or former to narrow work, it is sometimes constructed withone or more longitudinal partitions, L, dividing it into compartments; and a series of followers corresponding to the number of compartments, and preferably connected together, are. employed to work into said compartments in a similar manner tothe single trough, mold, or former and its follower.

The letter M represents a movable plunger or follower, arranged to travel back and forth upon a horizontal bed, N, extending transversely across the top of the table or bed of the machine, at a suitable distance from the stationarybed, to allow the troughs, molds, or

formers to'be inserted between. it and said bed in proper. position, l

' The letters N N representtwo guides, lo-' cated at each side of the machine, for guiding thetronghs, molds, or formers laterally properlyto tl'ie'stationary bed. One of said guides is cut away to admit the freshly-filled troughs, molds, or formers as it enters the machine endwise, and the machine at the point opposite such cutaway portion is provided with a roller, N to facilitate the: insertion of said trough, mold, or former.

The letter 0 represents a toggle-lever, operated by means of aileading scre\v,'l:,by means of which the follower or .plungeris actuated.

In. the modes of. construction shown in Figs. 1, 45, and 7,: a compound toggle'lever 1s employed, connected to the plunger and to. the.

frame or bed of the machine at R, but in that shown in Fig. 11 a simple toggle-lever is emf ployed, connected to. the follower or plunger. 7 The leadingserewin both cases passes-through i a screw-threaded rider, S, forming partofthe toggle-lever, which is carried'back and forth by said: screw to operate the lever according to the direction inwhich the screwis rotated.

. V The leading-screw may be operated by ham-l or by power, as may be 'fbundconveuient. In

case it is operated hand, it will be simply necessary to provide it with a hand-crank, T, as shown in Fig. 11;; but when operated by power it may be provided with any gearing by means of which suchpower may be trans.-

mitted to it. Inthepresent instance, as shown a in 1, 4, and 7', the power is applied by means of'a pulley and endless belt.

When thus operated, I have found: it convenient tov automatically arrest the. movement of the. plunger or follower. at the ends of' its for-\ ward and return movements; and: in order to effect this, the end of theleading-screw is provided with two loose. pulleys, U U, and a rotatin-gclutch, V, keyed tothe plain portion of carried along in a direction parallel to the Said forward end: is threaded,

leading-screw. and provided with. adjustable screw-threaded tappets or nuts G, against which a tappet D, on a reciprocating. slide, E operates. aid slide is provided ,at each end with a lug, G], against which the rider S of the toggle-lever strikes at the end of its backward and forward movements, serving to shift the slide and its tappet-arm, and, by means of the tappets O and: arm B, shift the clutch-lover, so as to throw the clutch out of gear with the driving pulley, and thus arrest the motion of the leading-screw.

I The letter H represents a lever, pivoted at I to the frame of the machine, its upper end being bent to one side, as shown at K, so as to fall under a pawl,-L, on the rider of the toggle-lever. Said pawl is so arranged as to ride over the bent end K of the lever I, at the forward movement of the rider, but to engage said bent end and trip said lever on its return movement. To the lower end of said lever H is attached a link, M, extending downwardly, and provided with a longitudinal slot, N at its lower end. In said slot sets a pin, n, projecting from the end of a vertical slide, 0, secured in ways I attached to the bed or frame of the machine. The upper end of said slide is provided with a short rack, R, which is adapted to be operated by a segmental pinion, B on the end of the leading-screw at the end of the forward throw of the same, as more fully hereinafter explained.

S represents a lever, pivoted to a standard, T, secured to the lower part of the table or frame of the machine. The lower end of said lever sets over the pin a of the slide N and is adapted to be elevated by said pin when the slide rises. The forward end of the said lever S is connected to a compound lever, U, the arms of which. are pivoted in standards secured to the frame of the machine. The free ends of said compound lever set through slots WV in studs W adapted to move in ways A secured to the frame A, the upper ends of which are bent, and rest, when in a normal position, directly under the trough, mold, or former adjoining the stationary bed, so as to elevate said trough, mold, or former by their upward movement at the proper time. The letter B represents a trip, one or more of which may be employed, adjustably secured to the upper side of the stationary bed B by means of set-screws B or otherwise, and projecting forward over the trough, mold, or former adjoining said bed. Said trips are beveled at their forward ends, in order to upset the trough when it is thrown in contact with them, as more fully hereinafter explained.

The operation of my improved machine is as follows: The plunger or follower is drawn back, in which condition the machine is ready for the reception of the troughs, molds, or formers. A series of seven of such troughs or formers I have found a convenient number to employ in practice, six of the same being subjected to pressure in the machine, while one is out filling.

The tobacco is placed loosely in the troughs, molds, or formers, and the follower inserted behind the same, with its edge projecting. At the commencement of the operation a sufficient number of the thus loosely-filled troughs are placed between the stationary bed and follower to fill the space between the same, and pressure is brought to bear by putting the leading-screw into operation, forcing the plunwithdraw the plunger or follower, releasing the pressure on the troughs, and when the rider of the to ggle-j oint reaches the bent lever operating the mechanism for elevatingthe troughs adj oining the stationary bed it will trip said lever, raising the slide into such position that its rack will engage the segmental pinion on the end of the leading-screw, by means of which said slide will be elevated, raising the end ofthe lever S, and elevating the slide Vi, so asto throw up the trough adjoining the station ary bed. The said trough, coming in contact with the beveled ends of the trips B will be upset by them, and will remain in position, resting against the upper edge of the next succeeding trough, ready for removal. Said trough is removed, and on the next pressing operation is placed directly behind a freshly-filled trough, which is fed in from one side of the machine, and this operation is continued until five of the pressed troughs and one looselyfilled trough are made up into a set in the machine, when the apparatus is in complete working condition. After this the pressing operation is continued, each trough, after removal, being placed behind the freshly-filled trough, as above mentioned.

In this manner the tobacco is subjected to a series of pressures, by which the greatest compactness and solidity are given to it. As the bars are successively cut, the nip or waste which is separated at the open end is removed,

the cutting operation forming a square end thereon, leaving said nip in condition to form the end of the bar in the succeeding trough to be filled.

The leading-screw, at the end of the forward and backward strokes of the plunger or follower, is automatically arrested, to permit the removal of the trough adjoining the stationary bed and the insertion of a fresh trough, by means of the loose pulleys, and the mechanism for shifting the friction-clutch which throws them into and out of gear with the screw. The screw is started in either direction by operating the clutch-lever by hand.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the stationary bed, provided with a longitudinal groove, a series of removable cutters and the gage for holding them in place, said cutters being adapted to be adjusted at various intervals in said groove, in order to vary the length of the plugs to be cut, as more fully hereinafter set forth,

2. In combination with the. stationary bed and its cutting-knives, a series of interchangeable knife-gages, slotted at intervals at which the knives are arranged, and varying in thickness according to the thickness of the plug to be cut, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A trough, mold, or former, closed at one end and open at the other, in combination with the movable follower, adapted to fit into said trough, whereby the nip or waste out from the end of the bar may be removed in condition to form the end of the bar in the next succeeding freshly-filled trough, mold, or former, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with the movable plunger or follower for compressing the troughs, molds, or tbrmers, and the leading-screw and togglelever for operating said plunger, the pulleys, loosely mounted on the leading-screw, the 1011- gitndinally-movin g clutch, the clutch lever and arm provided with tappets, and the tappet-bar and slide, operated by the rider of the toggle-lever, whereby the motion of the leading-screw is automatically arrested, as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In combination with the plunger and its operating mechanism, a lever adapted to be tripped by a pawl on the rider of the toggle lever, the vertically-moving slide provided with a rack at its upper end, the pinion on the leadingscrew for operating said slide, and the lever and vertically-moving slides, for elevating the trough adjoining the stationary bed, the whole constructed to operate substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with the mechanism for elevating the trough adjoining the stationary bed of the machine, the beveled trip or trips for upsetting the elevated trough, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

JOHN L. JONES.

Witnesses:

JAMES L. Nonms, Jnnms SARGENT. 

